(Clearwisdom.net) David Kilgour, former Secretary of State and MP for Canada, and David Matas, a Canadian immigration and human rights lawyer, visited India on invitation during the last week of April. They came to introduce the Hindi translation of their definitive report on organ harvesting in China. This was the thirty second country they have visited to introduce their report.

Kilgour and Matas visited the political and commercial capitals of New Delhi and Mumbai. They spoke about their report and interacted with a cross section of the communities ranging from members of parliament, ex-prime ministers, Supreme Court judges, lawyers, medical professionals and students, university students and professors, journalists and the media. They attended a session in parliament but did not get an opportunity to speak because of proceedings for the local elections.

Some professors of economics, history and political science from Mumbai University were taken aback when Mr. Kilgour presented facts of the dark side of the economic reforms and challenged the much hyped reports of a leading international investment banker and brokerage house that the professors had repeatedly referred to, in introducing the talk.

A large number of students were shocked when the facts of organ harvesting were revealed to them. Some students of medicine said it was a big slur on the Hippocratic-oath they take, and wanted to know how they could spread awareness and put an end to this malpractice. Some senior journalists were aware of this heinous crime and said they would extend their tacit support but were restrained from reporting in the media because of the policy decisions of the press barons.

A senior advocate commented, "If China is not allowing Kilgour and Matas to enter China and carry on further investigations, it is a covert admission of their guilt."

A law student said he knew that corruption was present everywhere, in varying degrees, but he did not know that a state machinery could be involved to such an extent and systematically orchestrate this inhuman malpractice.

At most of the forums Mr. Kilgour would eulogize the principles of Gandhi and beseech people to stand by them. People were moved when he quoted Gandhi, "There are times when you have to obey a call which is the highest of all, i.e., the voice of conscience even though such obedience may cost many a bitter tear, and even more, separation from friends, from family, from the state to which you may belong, from all that you have held as dear as life itself. For this obedience is the law of our being."

Another quote of Gandhi which he used with a group of lawyers has stayed with us. "You assist an evil system most effectively by obeying its orders and decrees. An evil system never deserves such allegiance. Allegiance to it means partaking of the evil. A good person will resist an evil system with his or her soul."

Posting date: 5/10/2007
Original article date: 5/10/2007
Category: News & Media Reports

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